Peyton Barber, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Peyton Barber returns to Tampa for at least another season pic.twitter.com/Y2S4V9Mu3s
— PFF (@PFF)
The Case
Peyton Barber begins his fourth season in 2019 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after leading the team in rushing last season with 871 yards. Barber averaged only 3.7 yards per rushing attempt and finished above 50 rushing yards just seven times in his 16 starts. He received a sizeable workload with 234 carries and 20 receptions but finished as fantasy’s RB26 (RB31 in PPR).
Barber was one of the most indifferent starting running backs to own in fantasy football last season. He was Tampa Bay’s principal back because they did not have a better option, and was the best of the worst of the Buccaneers’ running back group. Tampa Bay finished 29th in the NFL in rushing yards in 2018, which makes the second consecutive season that they finished in the bottom six.
Additionally, their offensive line ranks among the worst in the league, actually rated last in the league by FantasyPros. In contrast, all of the Buccaneers NFC South rivals rated within the top 10. Moreover, the Buccaneers surrendered a league-worst 43 quarterback hits last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
The bad news for Barber and the rest of the Buccaneers offensive weapons is that nearly the same group will be back in 2019. Hopefully, the new offense installed by new head coach Bruce Arians can improve the offensive line along with the running game and pass protection.
Barber has never been good. His fantasy football equity depends upon volume alone. He is not flashy and his 20 receptions last season were his career-high. His workload should decrease this season as Tampa Bay thrives on getting more out of its running game to match its first-ranked passing total yards offense.
Barber is the starting running back, for now. Tampa Bay drafted Ronald Jones in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. To say he was a huge disappointment would be an understatement. Jones ran for only 44 yards on 23 carries in his rookie season filled with injuries, ineffectiveness, and off-the-field issues. He appeared in just nine games with his longest carry being only nine yards on his way to averaging just 1.9 yards per rushing attempt.
Jones lost some confidence after his slow start. The negativity accelerated to the peak where his teammates and coaches were also not assured about his play. With a new coaching staff led by head coach Bruce Arians and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, hopefully, they will release his potential. So far this offseason, Jones has been the star in camp. He has added muscle and is up to 221 pounds from 208. He has received glowing reviews from the new coaching staff.
It was shocking that the Buccaneers didn’t attempt to upgrade the running back position of significance this offseason. However, they did add former Arizona running back Andre Ellington, who last played in the league in 2017. Ellington is familiar with Arians’ offensive philosophy with his time in Arizona. Ellington might find playing time, but he is no threat to start in the Tampa Bay backfield.
There have been reports that Tampa Bay is considering disgruntled running back Duke Johnson of the Cleveland Browns. Johnson is proficient in catching passes out of the backfield and even lining up in the slot. With Barber in the final year of his contract, and Jones also not a great pass-catcher, a trade for Johnson seems a logical fit.
The Verdict
Fantasy owners have to believe that Ronald Jones will be better than in his rookie season. Could he be worse? Anyways, Jones should stake a claim to a role in this Buccaneers offense. Furthermore, Jones will be on the field and see more touches than last season.
Barber’s fantasy football success resulted from volume alone last season. There will be a split workload between Barber and Jones in 2019. Barber has the edge over Jones at the moment, but that will change as camp progresses.
Barber wasn’t exciting last season. He had the ninth-most carries in the league last season but finished with the 19th-most rushing yards. He is useless as a receiver making him, even more, a risk in PPR leagues.
Peyton Barber has the look of a bargain as a player that fantasy owners can select in the lower double-digit rounds. However, he has never proven to be anything special for fantasy owners, and without the volume in 2019 that trend will continue. Look for Ronald Jones to develop and take over for Barber in 2019. Fantasy owners should always strive for upside, and that does not involve selecting Peyton Barber for your 2019 fantasy football roster.
